The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1887-04-26
The Operating Corporation Is To Be Known
as the Indiana Mltural-Gas Company
Waiting Only for Franchise.
The Indianapolis Company Decides to
Increase Its Capital to $25O,OO0.
Progress of the Prospecting About the City
State Geologist Thompson Comments on
the Geology OF the Gas Field.

line project are briefly told in the drafting OF
articles of incorporation. 1t is proposed to name
the organization the In diana Natural-gas Com
pany and to support it with capital OF l.O0O,-
O00 But this is not AL. Lawyers were en-
gagged Yesterday in driving up the ordinance
granting franchise of the streets 1t will be
presented at the next m netting of Council and ask
for a privilege without special rights which
means an open field for any other company that
wishes to bring gas to- the city. 1t is asserted
that there will be no ailtagonsm to any other
corporation or firm. and this appears to meet
the wishes of tho people Yesterday
nobody, not even those whose interests
have been identified with local prospecting,
had any objections to offer to the Standard COM
pany, unless it should az X for more than could
be consistently granted in preserving the rights
that local projectors Should have. OF course.
this opinion varied from willingness to have the
company come in without restrictions to PROPOSE
tons that would hedge it about with remunera-
tion for the franchise, or limiting it to certain
streets and alleys. Yet no one seemed to have
the wish to say that the company ought to be
kept out except one gentleman who has an
interest in local enterprise II wish Council
tain our local experim snts are fat failures.
The Standard company can readily bring its gas
to the city. but we ought to have chance"
1T is understood the Standard people will
make fair propositions to the local companies9"
THAT is the trouble. One of our directors
was in consultation with Mr.. Mansfield last
night. When I saw him again, asked what
the talk was about. The director said he had
been offered little stock and he thought of &C.
cepting i: in the new company"
The Standard people. it is also represented.
are DESTROYS of making their organization pop
ular affair and propose to open subscription
books for the benefit Of those who may have
small savings to invest in the Indiana natural
gas stock. Mr.. Mansfield yesterday extended
his acquaintance among business mon, and at
the city Offices made inquiries concerning
dinance that was passed by the Council six
months ago granting the privilege of laying pipes
for natural fuel gas. When the ord-
nance went to the Board of Aldermen
it was referred to the appropriate committee
where it remains. One of the committeeman is
supposed to have the document among his Off
cial papers. 1t is about as open in granting
franchise as document of that kind can be
made. Councilman Pearson. who introduced it,
Gays its provisions are about the same as the
ordinance that gave pipe lines privileges to enter
Allegheny City. Mr. Mansfield was anxious to
get copy of it. but he thinks it may require
some notifications to suit the purposes of his
company. '.All we ask" said Mr.. Mansfield, to
n Journal reporter, sis fair, working ordinance
such as we have in other Cities to enable US to
supply the city with gas. We do not want any
exclusive privileges Under the ordinance we
shall ask for any company can compete with US
II they want to, only we think we
can do the work quicker. better and
cheaper than anybody else. We shall ask no
unfair advantage. and if we come here we shall
Ia large anf nd h0cn l1vy
interested with other citizens in the growth and
prosperity of the city" Mr. Mansfield stated,
further that the company was now piping gas
to thirty five cities. and is laying its mains to
Toledo, o. At Buffalo the gas is piped eighty
six miles and at Toledo it will be thirty i've
miles. They will ask for substantially abe same
ordinance here that they have in other cities.
In several of these they have voluntarily re-
duced the price of gas once twice since its in
PRODUCTION. The price is regulated by the law
of supply and demand. The more gas they can
get, and the more people that take it, the cheaper
they can afford to furnish it. Major Calkins
the attorney of the Standard company, is re-
ported in the News as saying: 1--WE expect that
the ordinance will regulate to some extent, the
price of gas, and to such regulations we could
offer no objections" The Major SAYS this does
not report him correctly. He is not authorized
to say and does not think the company would
be willing to have the price Of gas regulated by
ordinance.
1t seems that the Standard company has rob-
that quarter where it would naturally appear in
some force. There is no artagonism among the
local companies, although some of the officers of
the latter express themselves guardedly. But
in one instance there has been a marked change.
dav or two ago the leaders of certain COM
pany were SO confident of the future wealth of
their own enterprise that they would listen to
nothing that did not mean prospecting in their
direction. Yesterday they were remarkably
amiabe in their expressions of good intentions
in regard to the Standard enterprise.
In the meantime the local companies are push
ing ahead with their original purpose to drill
apois either yields riches or proves failure
The Indianapolis Natural Gas Company is to in
crease its capital stock to $3.50 900 and to remove
its machinery to Westfeld, where it will be near
ard Oil Company. Its Bridgeport we'll was
abandoned last night and no further expert
ments are to be tried in that section. Some
trouble was had at Broad Ripple but that has
been overcome, and the drill there is making
good progress The Twelfth-street drill which
has for so many days been fast In hard lime
stone, was loosened yesterday. and work
will be resumed there to-day At
Brightwood the so-far proftless we'll is to be
''shot" with dynamite on Thursday. The explo-
sive material has been ordered, and. in order to
give the work noticeable bearing. invitations
are to be extended to citizens to 20 ont and wit
ness the operation.
1t is reported that il the CAPITAL CITY directors
cannot get gas out Of this effort they will con-
tinue in the hope of reaching blue lick water,
with the ultimate purpose of making Bright
wood pleasure resort Gas. however, will be
sought il another well. If it is not to be had
there, the directors are counting on the benefits
that will arise to the place through the Stand
ard Oil pipe lines. which some think may come
to the city very near Brightwood. One gentle
man impressed with this idea thought he
already saw its fulfillment in the pines coming
down the Peru tracks.
New Stoves VIII Not BE Needed,
IL inquired about stoves and natural gas while
in Pittsburg" said John r. Pearson, yesterday
'.and find it can be utilized in any kind of :
stove or CRATE. that persons owning stoves
need not be under any apprehension that the
new fuel will make it necessary to buy new
heating apparatus. All they need do. whether
in stove or CRATE, is fill up with broken fire.
brick or almost any kind of non-combustibl,
bric-a- brac-in Pittsburg many beautiful de
signs are used in open fres-and turn on tn,
gasn
The Other Gas Towns.
LADoGA WILL BORE
Special TO the indianapolis journal.
LADoGA April %. -Ladoga citizens recent,
opened subscription with view TO organizing
anatural-gas company, and within two days tn
limit Of stock was taken. The company will
be known as the Ladoga Natural-gas and Goa